VESTAVIA HILLS, Alabama -- Fitness buffs in the area can now rejoice: Ignite Fitness, a licensed CrossFit affiliate, will be expanding their gym services with a new location in Vestavia Hills. The new facility is expected to be officially open by April 2013. This will be the second Ignite Fitness location since the original gym opened in Hoover in May 2010.

In order to expand, Ignite Fitness owner Shane Rodriguez partnered with Clay Adams, a friend and fellow CrossFit Certified Instructor in developing the new location.

“We are excited to see so many in our community changing their lives through CrossFit,” said Rodriguez according to a press release. “We are passionate about making a difference whether it’s an athlete looking for a competitive edge, or a mid-life couple who want to remain active and healthy.”

Adams will serve as the primary manager and coach of the Vestavia Hills location while Rodriguez continues his own training at the Hoover location. For an additional fee, members will be able to train at either location.

CrossFit, a workout regime that has swept the country over the past few years aims to forge “broad, general, and inclusive fitness with a specialty of not specializing,” according to the release. All workouts are modifiable, which helps make it accessible to people of all fitness levels and ages.

“CrossFit works for just about everyone and that is why it has become so popular,” said Rodriguez.

According to Ignite's website, CrossFit workouts entail "compound movements and shorter,
high-intensity cardiovascular sessions." Changes to traditional workout routines include the replacement of the lateral
raise with push-presses, the curl with pull-ups, and the leg extension
with squats. For every long distance effort, Crossfit athletes will do 5 or 6
at short distances. The reasoning behind, that, according to the site, is that "compound and functional movements and
high-intensity or anaerobic cardio is radically more effective at
eliciting nearly any desired fitness result."